Jazz Mk1 Known issues to look out for?

[Jazzmeister]

Culzean doesn't the MK1 have a timing chain and not a cambelt, seems only the Jazz from 2009 onwards has a cambelt?

[Jocko]

My i-DSi has done 128,000 miles and the tappets have never been touched. Cam CHAIN needs no maintenance,

One other problem with all Jazz models is the drop links from anti-roll bar. Cheap fix if they start to rattle.

[Jazzmeister]

Is it worth looking at the CVT auto?

Seems like it's marmite all the way in terms of how they drive, some love them some hate them.
I'd love to get one but I'm concerned about reliability and long term cost, seems they can be very expensive to repair if they go pear shaped.

[culzean]

Culzean doesn't the MK1 have a timing chain and not a cambelt, seems only the Jazz from 2009 onwards has a cambelt?

Yes all Jazz engines  do have camchains, including MK1 DSI .....

The 'cambelt' I mentioned was in my early Civic ( it was the only reason any work was done on engine in over 190,000 miles).  The 'cam layout' I mentioned for Jazz DSI ( L13A ) was a change from usual Honda engineering ( inlet and exhaust rocker arms had one common pivot shaft to make cylinder head narrower ) and is described in this article  http://asia.vtec.net/Engines/lseries/index.html

[Jocko]

Is it worth looking at the CVT auto?

Seems like it's marmite all the way in terms of how they drive, some love them some hate them.
I'd love to get one but I'm concerned about reliability and long term cost, seems they can be very expensive to repair if they go pear shaped.

After having driven "standard" automatics for 25 years, I tried the CVT and hated the driving experience. Earlier CVT models had a starting clutch, but later Jazz models did away with this. A CVT that has been maintained to the updated Honda service intervals should be fine. Still, there are many cases, documented here, of shuddering caused by inadequate or non-existent oil changes.
As for going "pear-shaped". The only non-accident demise of a Jazz recorded on here in my experience was a CVT failure, albeit at 256,000 miles.

[Jazzmeister]

After having driven "standard" automatics for 25 years, I tried the CVT and hated the driving experience. Earlier CVT models had a starting clutch, but later Jazz models did away with this. A CVT that has been maintained to the updated Honda service intervals should be fine. Still, there are many cases, documented here, of shuddering caused by inadequate or non-existent oil changes.
As for going "pear-shaped". The only non-accident demise of a Jazz recorded on here in my experience was a CVT failure, albeit at 256,000 miles.

If I'm reading that correctly when the CVT gearbox starts to fail it may judder but will still work and the vehicle will be drivable?

[Jocko]

What I have read, multiple flushes and oil changes return it to a reasonable state. I certainly wouldn't want to drive a car where the transmission judders.
As an aside, the noisy manual gearbox will run forever. It just gets noisier and, in my case, got so embarrassing I had it repaired. A transmission specialist charged me £324 to do the job. I drove the car in one day and picked it up the next.

[sparky Paul]

If I'm reading that correctly when the CVT gearbox starts to fail it may judder but will still work and the vehicle will be drivable?

I can't remember anyone having a total failure, certainly without some warning.


It was resident driving instructor Ozzie that had the CVT failure, but it sounded more like a differential/driveshaft issue than actual gearbox...

One of the forumites did 256,000 miles with his driving school car before the CVT gearbox failed. And it wasn't the belts that went!

It was my 2011 Jazz that went to 256,000 miles when it had a driveshaft and gearbox problem, dumping the CVT fluid, and it still got me to the main dealers with no fluid in the gearbox. The engine itself was still fine.

[Jazzmeister]

So there's a nice 1.5 Vtec available is the better low down grunt and fuel economy of the 1.4 DSI worth hanging on for?
How reliable is the 1.5 Vtec vs the 1.4DSI and how do the maintenance costs compare?

And apart from the slightly daft looking body kit and the engine is there anything else different on the 1.5vtec models?

[Jocko]

The 1.5 V-TEC was never available here in the UK until the latest Mk3's which I would imagine is a completely different setup engine from the 1.5 you are looking at.

[Jazzmeister]

The 1.5 V-TEC was never available here in the UK until the latest Mk3's which I would imagine is a completely different setup engine from the 1.5 you are looking at.

I just looked at the torque curve of the GD DSI vs 1.5 Vtec and the Vtec also has lots of low down torque just more of it than the DSI so I'm assuming baring marginally worse fuel economy it'll be the better engine to have:
Vtec:
https://www.automobile-catalog.com/curve/2007/1137455/honda_fit_sport.html
DSI
https://www.automobile-catalog.com/curve/2006/1137815/honda_jazz_1_4_i-dsi_sport.html

[Jazzmeister]

One interesting point is the DSI is at 87% of peak torque at 2000rpm 103Nm vs the Vtec at 79% of peak torque and 113Nm.

[TnTkr]

So there's a nice 1.5 Vtec available is the better low down grunt and fuel economy of the 1.4 DSI worth hanging on for?
How reliable is the 1.5 Vtec vs the 1.4DSI and how do the maintenance costs compare?

And apart from the slightly daft looking body kit and the engine is there anything else different on the 1.5vtec models?

What I have read from user experiences in US, where the 1,5 VTEC was also sold, it is as reliables a Honda engine is supposed to be. Nothing to be worried about.

[Jazzmeister]

Does anyone know if the Mk1 ever got a facelift during it's run?
Some websites imply that a facelifted model was released in around 2005 but I can't actually find concrete evidence of this anywhere

[Jocko]

My 2006 has updates on the earlier Mk1's but as it is the only Jazz I have ever owned I am not sure as to what the changes were. Richard may be able to help.